Adrenal Tumor and Disorder Program

The Adrenal Tumor and Disorder Program at Weill Cornell Medicine includes fellowship trained, compassionate surgeons who specialize in treating patients with Adrenal Tumors and Disorders. The adrenal glands are two small glands located above the kidneys — one on the left side of the body and one on the right. Glands are organs that make and release hormones.

Each adrenal gland is really 2 glands in one and they release the hormones cortisol, aldosterone and adrenaline,  as well as other hormones that help control important functions in the body, including:

●      Response to stress

●      Regulation of blood pressure and electrolytes

●      Increase in blood sugar

●      Sex hormone production

Our team is here to help you achieve the best possible health by using the most advanced treatment options available - including minimally invasive options and specialized treatments for adrenal tumors and disorders. 

Collaborative Care for Adrenal Gland Tumors and Disorders

As our patient, you and your surgeon will discuss your condition, health goals and the benefits and risks of the most appropriate treatment options for you. Using this personalized and collaborative approach, we determine the best treatment for you. Your care may include medicines, lifestyle changes and, if appropriate, surgery.

We have a multidisciplinary team to care for your adrenal disease – our team includes endocrine surgeons, endocrinologists, hypertension specialists, nuclear medicine specialists, radiologists, anesthesiologists and endocrine oncologists, as well as many other experts dedicated to treating adrenal tumors and disorders. This team is called the Weill Cornell Medicine Adrenal Tumor and Disorder Program. 

Adrenal Gland Tumors

Tumors of the adrenal glands are classified as:

●      Functioning or non-functioning

●      Benign or malignant (non-cancerous or cancerous)

●      On one side or on both sides of the body

Functioning tumors make more hormones than they should. Depending on which hormone is being overproduced, patients with functioning tumors may have:

●      Aldosteronoma (Conn’s Syndrome), which can cause high blood pressure and, possibly, low potassium levels

●      Cortisol-secreting tumor (Cushing’s Syndrome), which can cause high blood sugar levels, weakness or the immune system to become compromised

●      Pheochromocytoma, which can cause heart palpitations or episodic high blood pressure – sometimes dangerously high.

Your team of doctors here will help you choose the most appropriate treatment for your diagnosis.

Surgery may be needed if a tumor is making too much of one of the adrenal hormones or if it looks possibly cancerous. For patients with tumors that do not look cancerous, follow-up imaging may be pursued depending on the characteristics of the nodule and the results of the hormone testing. 

Examples of malignant tumors include:

●      Adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare type of cancer that forms in the cortex (outer portion) of the adrenal gland

●      Malignant pheochromocytoma, a potentially cancerous tumor that develops in the medulla (central portion) of the adrenal gland

●      Adrenal metastases or cancer that has spread from another part of the body to the adrenal gland

Adrenal tumors can develop without predisposing factors (non-inherited) or as the result of a genetic condition passed along the family tree (inherited). Examples include:

●      Multiple endocrine neoplasia

●      Von Hippel-Lindau

●      Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare inherited condition that increases the risk for certain types of cancers, as well as brest, brain and soft tissue tumors

●      Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma

At Weill Cornell Medicine, every malignant tumor’s genetic information is studied to better understand the condition and best treatment options. If you have an inherited condition, you will be referred for evaluation by our geneticists for further evaluation and counseling as needed.

Diagnostic Evaluation

The surgeons at the Adrenal Tumor and Disorder Program provide rapid diagnosis for patients using advanced technology and procedures.

We provide leading diagnostic technology and innovative procedures to facilitate a rapid and definitive diagnosis. Imaging studies, as well as blood tests will include screening for tumor markers that are found in your bloodstream. In some patients with functioning adrenal tumors, we offer additional testing to help determine which adrenal gland (right versus left) is responsible for the hormone overproduction.

In this scenario, we collaborate with our colleagues in vascular surgery who perform the adrenal venous sampling procedure. During this minimally invasive procedure, an expert vascular specialist inserts a catheter into a vein in your leg and is then able to obtain blood samples internally from the adrenal veins. The results of this procedure can help your endocrine surgeon determine which adrenal gland is diseased, and if surgery is right for you.

After we collect the pertinent information, you will be guided through the treatment process under the supervision of our world-renowned experts using a patient-centered multidisciplinary approach. Your doctor will help you choose the most appropriate treatment modality for you, which is centered on the most recent evidence-based medicine management protocols.

Adrenal Gland Surgery

When it is deemed necessary, the surgeons here at Weill Cornell use minimally invasive techniques – laparoscopic or robotic surgery -  to remove an adrenal tumor whenever possible.  Minimally invasive surgery shortens the length of your hospitalization and recovery. This type of surgery requires small incisions (cuts) in the skin which means less bleeding, less pain, quicker recovery and a smaller scar.

Patients who have minimally invasive surgery usually stay in the hospital overnight for observation to make sure the remaining adrenal gland is working as it should. Patients typically resume most daily activities within a few days. Complete instructions regarding activity level are provided to patients before being discharged from the hospital.

Patients with functioning tumors require close observation before, during and after the operation. Before surgery, our team will carefully monitor and optimize your blood pressure, electrolyte levels and glucose levels with medications to minimize the risk of complications during and after surgery. During surgery, we work closely with a dedicated team of anesthesiologists who monitor you during your operation. After surgery, you may be kept in the hospital for one to two days, depending on the type of tumor. You will receive instructions about your follow-up care for your specific adrenal tumor and health goals.

Additional Treatments and Follow-Up Care

If surgery is needed, follow-up after recovery depends on the type of tumor or disorder that was treated. This may include blood samples, imaging or medication management. In specific cases of malignant adrenal tumors, new therapies and imaging technology provided by our physicians and scientists at Weill Cornell will be used to ensure the best possible outcome. 

Additional treatments for aggressive tumors may include radioisotope therapy, chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Furthermore, several research protocols and molecular targeting techniques have been developed at our institution. Your doctor will discuss if you are a candidate for these protocols to more specifically target your adrenal tumor. 

At Weill Cornell Medicine, we treat each patient as an individual with unique needs. We offer the most up-to-date treatment options, including access to open clinical trials.

Request an Appointment

To request an appointment, please fill out our form or call (646) 962-5250. Our staff will help you find the physician who best fits your individual medical needs.